In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD
This Unit Standard is for those who design learning programmes to meet defined learning needs, thus producing a brief for the development of the learning programmes.

People credited with this unit standard are capable of:

Drafting learning outcomes for the programme.

Conducting analysis for learning design.

Designing the learning programme.

Drafting a brief for the development of the learning programme.

Evaluating learning design.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
It is assumed that learners are already competent in general analysis and design techniques, and have a working knowledge of outcome-based education and training. It is also assumed that learners are able to develop learning materials based on a given design.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE
1. This is a generic Unit Standard, and designers can design learning within any field of learning in line with their subject matter expertise. Where designers are not themselves experts in the field of learning, then they would typically work in close consultation with subject experts.

This Unit Standard only covers the design of the learning process and materials, and does not include the actual development of the learning materials and resources. The development of the materials and resources is addressed by the Unit Standard – 123394: “Develop outcomes-based learning programmes”, Level 5, 10 credits. Such development will be carried out on the basis of the design specification produced by the designer.

The design and development are addressed in two separate unit standards to reflect the situation where not all developers necessarily carry out the design, which is at a higher level, but develop programmes on the basis of given design specifications. Where an individual carries out both the design and the development, s/he will seek to obtain both Unit Standards.

2. This Unit Standard is to be assessed within the context of the following givens:
The design will be in response to an identified learning need as expressed in a given brief. The need may be expressed in a variety of ways such as a workplace skills plan, a skills audit, a training and development plan, or a formal request for the learning design. The expressed need might be for courses, a learning programme or a learnership.
The designer will have access to a range of documents such as performance appraisals, job descriptions, existing training manuals, operational manuals, workplace skills plans, learning outcomes, unit standards, qualifications, Education, Training and Development plan. The designer will also have access to an outline of the target audience and the essential nature of the skills gap.
The designer will have access to relevant Unit Standards, Exit Level Outcomes, curriculum statements or outcomes expressed in other documents.

3. The assessment of candidate-designers will only be valid for award of this Unit Standard if the following requirements are met:

The outcome/s selected for design of learning are significant, meaningful and coherent outcome statements that include assessment criteria and allow for judgements of competence in line with SAQA’s definition of competence i.e. embraces foundational, practical and reflexive dimensions of competence. Designers will need to demonstrate the ability to design learning that includes learning of tasks and conceptual learning. Outcomes that are highly task-orientated and do not demand much, if any, in the way of reflexive competence, will not be sufficient for measuring competence as a designer in terms of this unit standard.

The learning programmes should be for a significant learning experience. Although this is not a rule, for the purposes of this unit standard the programme designed should generally require in the region of 50 – 80 hours of learning time.

The design should be such that the designer demonstrates the ability to incorporate a variety of learning approaches.

Having designed for a particular mode, the designer should describe how s/he would adapt the design for the other three modes.

4. Although the design must make provision for summative assessment, this unit standard does not require designers to design full scale assessment guides, as these are covered by the Unit Standard – 115755: “Design and develop outcomes-based assessments”, Level 6, 10 credits. Where designers wish to achieve the assessment design and learning design unit standards, assessment should be integrated as far as possible.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1Draft learning outcomes for the programme. OUTCOME RANGE
Learning programme outcomes describe what learners are required to know and be able to do as a result of the learning programme. The outcomes thus describe the end state, and do not describe all the learning along the way. Learning outcomes are accompanied by criteria, which are statements that define the quality of performance expected by competent learners i.e. they specify the critical indicators of competence. Outcomes may also be accompanied by clarifying statements that provide information on the context and scope of the required performance, as well as any other clarifying information that may be required to define the required result of learning.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The outcomes reflect the required results of learning as per the given brief.ASSESSMENT CRITERION NOTES
Where applicable, the learning outcomes are consistent with the specifications of Unit Standards, Exit Level Outcomes or Curriculum Statements.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The outcomes and criteria are written in a format that is consistent with established norms for outcomes and criteria.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The outcomes, together with criteria, are achievable and assessable.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
Outcomes and related criteria provide clear guidelines of the expected standard of performance required and are written in a language accessible to the trainer and the learner with minimum mediation required.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
Clarifying statements are used where required to provide scope and context for the learning programmes and to ensure consistent interpretation of the outcomes and criteria by users.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6
Language used is consistent with field-usage.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2Conduct analysis for learning design. OUTCOME RANGE
Analysis relates to needs, learners, available resources and desired outcomes. The outcomes may be in the form of Unit Standards, Curriculum Statements, Enterprise Standards or Qualifications.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The analysis provides accurate information on the nature and type of potential learners, their typical learning backgrounds, possible special needs and their skills profile in relation to the intended outcomes.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The analysis identifies the expected or required starting point for learning.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The analysis makes use of appropriate tools to identify all the skills that learners need to develop in order to achieve the outcomes. The skills are broken down into the detail of what learners need to know and do in order to develop the skills.ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE
Skills refer to psychomotor, cognitive and affective domains.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
The skills are sequenced in a manner that ensures an appropriate build up and integration of skills.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
Analysis of existing materials and resources reveals their relevance and suitability for the programme.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6
The analysis helps to group and sequence learning outcomes across programmes to facilitate integration.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The design is based on the results of the analysis and incorporates lessons from previous developments, pilot projects and evaluations.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
Learning activities and methodologies are selected which are appropriate to the learner and the learning content, and have the potential to enable the learner to integrate all the needed skills required to achieve the outcomes. Methodologies selected are explained and justified in terms of relevance, effectiveness and appropriateness.ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE
At least two methodologies are considered.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The design meets budgetary constraints and ensures that implementation of the learning programme is manageable within reasonable time frames.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
The design makes effective use of existing resources without compromising the quality of the learning experiences.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
The design ensures sufficient opportunities for learners to practice and thereby achieve mastery of the required outcomes.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6
The design sequence is appropriate to the learners’ needs in terms of logic of structure and pace.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7
The design is outcomes-based, adheres to adult learning principles, promotes integration and takes account of possible special needs of learners.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8
Provision is made for adequate formative and summative assessment. The scope of assessments are directly related to and cover the stated outcomes.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4Draft a brief for the development of the learning programme.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The brief is developed with sufficient background information to ensure the developer understands the learning context.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The brief provides the developer with insights into the learning design, with explanations for selected learning activities and methodologies.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The brief provides sufficient instructions and guidelines to ensure the developer develops the programme to design specifications.ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE
Instructions and guidelines for the development of learning activities, the development of learning aids, links to other resources, style, formatting, packaging. The brief will also contain broad costings.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5Evaluate learning design.OUTCOME RANGE
It may be that the learning design can only be evaluated after the learning programme has been developed and piloted. If the timing does not suit the purposes of the assessment of designers against this unit standard, designers can demonstrate competence by evaluating the design of other learning programmes.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1
The evaluation is conducted in a consistent and systematic manner, including the use of pilots where possible. Pilots make use of representative samples of the material, learners and practitioners.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2
The evaluation is conducted in accordance with the learning organisation’s quality assurance requirements for design.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3
The evaluation reveals strengths and weaknesses of the drafted learning outcomes, the analysis for learning design, the learning design and the brief for development.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4
Opportunities and mechanisms to improve upon the design are identified and recorded for integration into future revisions.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5
Recommendations are made which contribute towards the improvement of learning design in line with the learning need and required outcomes.UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS
Assessors for this Unit Standard must be registered with the relevant ETQA, or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the appropriate ETQA.
Providers of learning towards this Unit Standard must be accredited through the relevant ETQA by SAQA, or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the appropriate ETQA.
Moderators must be registered as assessors with the relevant ETQA, or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE
The following knowledge is embedded within the Unit Standard, and will be assessed directly or indirectly through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the assessment criteria: